OCU chaplain calls for priests to be armed for self-defense

Serhiy Dmytriev. Photo: Livyi Bereh

OCU chaplain and executive secretary of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches, Serhiy Dmytriev, stated that priests should have the right to carry firearms for self-defense. In an interview with Livyi Bereh, he emphasized that protecting one’s life with the use of a weapon does not violate the commandment "Thou shalt not kill."

Dmytriev explained that the OCU has decided to permit priests to carry firearms:
"The Orthodox Church has ruled that a priest has the right to possess a light firearm to protect themselves, their parishioners, and those around them. For me, protecting another person’s life – specifically protection, not aggression – does not violate the commandment 'Thou shalt not kill,' nor does it conflict with the love for another person," he noted.

He added that while chaplains, like doctors, are considered non-combatants under international humanitarian law, this does not exclude their right to self-defense in extreme situations.

The OCU representative also emphasized that priests must be ready to defend those close to them in the face of danger.

"Chaplains of the Ukrainian Armed Forces currently do not carry weapons. But I know that if, God forbid, such a situation arises, many chaplains will defend their loved ones if they have the opportunity. They will not stand idly by, merely observing or reciting prayers, while their comrades perish," Dmytriev stated.

He gave an example of a potential threat where a priest might need to use a weapon:
"A wild boar could charge at you from the forest – you must preserve your own life." Dmytriev stressed that the choice remains with each individual and that defending one’s life should not be seen as a violation of religious commandments.

As previously reported by the UOJ, OCU chaplain Dmytriev recounted how, during a battle, Ukrainian soldiers initially hesitated to fire at a church occupied by the enemy, but an OCU "priest" convinced them otherwise.

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